Delhi implemented a sweeping ban on fuel sales to older vehicles today, marking the most aggressive enforcement yet of the city's efforts to combat air pollution by targeting what officials call "end-of-life" vehicles.
Starting July 1, petrol stations across the capital will refuse service to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, regardless of where they are registered. The restriction, enforced through artificial intelligence-enabled cameras at fuel stations, carries penalties of up to ₹10,000 for four-wheelers and potential vehicle impoundment.
The Commission for Air Quality Management directed all 520 fuel stations in Delhi to install Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras that cross-reference vehicle ages with the centralized Vahan database12. Teams from the Delhi Transport Department and police have been deployed to 350 petrol pumps to prevent disorder and impound violators3.
"With around 100 teams of traffic and transport department officials around to flag down EOL vehicles and all 520 fuel stations in the city equipped with technology to identify such vehicles, people think getting rid of their vehicles is better than living in fear and uncertainty," reported The Times of India1.
The policy has sparked intense debate among vehicle owners. Varun Sud, an IT professional who sold his car ahead of the ban, told The Times of India: "Ironically, new vehicles if not serviced properly, emit more smoke than a well-maintained 10-year-old car"1.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the implementation, comparing the administration to "Phulera Panchayat" and questioning why authorities chose to "create panic at fuel stations" rather than find more effective solutions2.
Transport expert Anil Chhikara argued the policy lacks adequate studies, noting that "BS II and BS IV vehicles have similar tailpipe emissions but BS IV vehicles — equipped with emission control sensors and catalytic converters — rarely exceed the pollution certification limits"1.
The ban will expand to NCR cities including Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Sonipat in November 2025, and to the full National Capital Region by April 20261. Currently, CNG vehicles older than 15 years are exempt but may be included in future phases1.
According to the Commission for Air Quality Management, Delhi has 62 lakh end-of-life vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers2. In 2024, authorities impounded 39,273 such vehicles2.
Vehicle owners facing the ban have three options: selling their vehicle outside Delhi with a No Objection Certificate, retrofitting with approved electric kits, or scrapping at licensed centers1.
